Rejuvenated Linger scores snugly and may bid for Ballybrit double

Linger has thrived on the Flat since joining Joseph O'Brien's irrepressible Owning yard and he maintained his resurgence on the opening night at Ballybrit when justifying 9-4 favouritism switched to hurdles in the 2m½f handicap.

First, second and third in three starts on the Flat for O'Brien, the Cape Cross gelding danced home by six lengths once JJ Slevin extricated him from behind a wall of horses after touching down over the final flight.

It had looked ominous after they cleared the second-last, but Slevin kept his cool and had more than enough horse underneath when he finally got a gap on the rail after the final flight.